The PMC is also trying to identify more civic buildings to generate additional 176 KWP to achieve its target of 1 MW of solar energy via rooftop solar panels.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is going to sign an agreement with the Solar Energy Corporation of India to generate 824 KWP (Kilowatt hours at peak capacity) of solar energy on rooftops of civic buildings. The PMC is hopeful that this step will help it save Rs 91 lakh a year. In a proposal tabled in the Standing Committee, the civic administration said it has identified 14 civic buildings, where rooftop solar panels will be installed to generate 824 KWP of renewable energy.

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The PMC is also trying to identify more civic buildings to generate additional 176 KWP to achieve its target of 1 MW of solar energy via rooftop solar panels. “The generation of solar energy on rooftops of civic buildings, and its usage, will help us save Rs 91 lakh per year for the civic body,” said the civic body. The agency would be allowed to use the rooftop of civic buildings for 25 years without any cost. However, the PMC would have an obligation to use the power at a rate of Rs 3.62 kWh.

The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) has approved a tariff of Rs 5.63 kWh for solar power, but the Solar Energy Corporation of India has offered a lower tariff of Rs 3.62 kWh.

“The PMC initiative would be a part of the Union government’s plan to increase generation of renewable energy in the country,” stated the proposal. The PMC has set a target to generate 5 MW solar power in civic properties after achieving success in generation of 1 MW on civic buildings. It had also decided to get satellite images of the city, to enable the PMC to identify rooftops in the city that can be used for setting up solar panels.

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The civic body has been giving a discount in property tax for over 57,000 properties in the city that have implemented various environment-friendly measures such as generating solar energy, rainwater harvesting and vermi-composting. Earlier, the PMC administration had proposed to allow a private agency to install solar panels on civic buildings, but it was rejected by elected representatives, saying it was a costlier option and the civic body should implement the project on its own.